


Set Fire to the Rain.

by Monster_Boy



Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Eggsy tries to help, M/M, Misunderstandings, an absolute bastard arrives and talks shit, and they were ROOMMATES, eggsy and tilde didn't become a thing after the first movie in this, it goes about as well as expected, like I love her but I've got plans y'all, now with new formatting, tequila is an anxious man
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-26 20:20:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17752826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Monster_Boy/pseuds/Monster_Boy
Summary: To say that Tequila wasn't very confident about his place among the Kingsman agents would have been an understatement. He was a Statesman and no matter the new relationship between the agencies he was still an outsider.





	Set Fire to the Rain.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SyriaSirlay](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SyriaSirlay/gifts).



> Thank you so much to my patient and talented beta SyriaSirlay I couldn't have done this without your help and support.  
> p.s. These characters don't belong to me I'm just playing puppeteer right now.

To say that Tequila wasn't very confident about his place among the Kingsman agents would have been an understatement. He felt out of place in the company of these sleek suited agents with their smooth British accents and cutting remarks. His Texas drawl cut too sharply through the conversation at the round table and at the few face to face gatherings they held, his denim ranching jacket stood out like a sore thumb. While Eggsy, Merlin, and Harry still tried their best to make him feel welcome, although he wasn't sure the latter two approved of him just yet, he was a Statesman and no matter the new relationship between the agencies he was still an outsider.

While they had stopped Poppy's scheme, they had yet to dismantle all branches of her organization. They decided instead to rebuild their numbers, seeing as fighting a battle was easier when you actually had the soldiers to do it. Harry, now acting as Arthur, had called a meeting to discuss the lingering members of the Golden Circle, and so the round table convened.

Harry cleared his throat to get the attention of the agents who had been chatting amongst themselves. "Alright agents we have quite a few things to get through today, so let us begin. The Golden Circle, while no longer peddling their tainted merchandise, is still one of the most extensive drug operations currently running under their newly appointed kingpin."

The soft whir of Merlin's new leg prosthetics signal his entrance into the room, and he nods to Harry over his clipboard. "Merlin if you would," Harry says. 

"Of course," Merlin tapped a couple of times on his clipboard bringing up an image of a man in his early fifties with hard features and salt and pepper hair. "Gathered associates this is the man at this point known only as Vladislav, he ended up picking up the pieces of the Golden Circle after the initial collapse," he pauses for a moment before nodding to Eggsy and Harry "Well done again, Galahad, Arthur." 

Before Merlin can resume the briefing, Ywain speaks up from the far corner of the table "Ah yes excellent job gentlemen, Galahad, Arthur. And even our guest from Statesman. Oh, wait, no, you were laid up with blue rash weren't you Agent Tequila?" The malicious tone dripping from his voice and a few chuckles that develop from the end of the table have Tequila crossing his arms over his chest, and biting the inside of his lip to keep quiet.

Eggsy opened his mouth about to tell Ywain off when a voice across from him cut in. "Oh fuck off Ywain you weren't even an agent."

It was Roxy clenching her fists against the table and glaring at him. "Tequila has been an essential part of rebuilding the agency that gave you the title you hold in such high esteem over his."

Roxy had narrowly survived the explosion coming away with extensive injuries including burns over most of her body and shrapnel that pierced her abdomen causing internal bleeding and shattering part of her hip. Roxy had been through extensive surgery and physical therapy for the past seven months.

Roxy and Tequila had met at the firing range where she was trying to regain her aim. An abundant and colorful bout of cursing came from her mouth that had made him laugh so loudly he’d drawn the eyes of everyone in the room. Roxy almost started a fight before he explained himself and after that, the friendship had developed rapidly and then grew to something resembling the bond of siblings. She had become quite protective of Tequila.

Ywain sneered at her, gesturing at Tequila. "Oh? And what essential task did he do lay the bricks for the new headquarters?"

A loud bang sounded in the room, and all eyes turned to Tequila, his fist laying on the table. Harry's eyes scanned over him ready to intervene if needed, but when Tequila looked up at the table in front of him, he just let out a short sigh. "Thank you kindly, Lancelot, but it looks like I don't have much to contribute to this briefing, so I think I'll take my leave."

Eggsy went to stop him, place a hand on his shoulder, reassure him, anything to make him stay by Eggsy's side but it was too late. Tequila got up and nodded at Merlin and Harry before turning on his heel and exiting the room.

Eggsy stood, slamming his palm against the table. Glasses shook where they sat, and everyone's attention shifted to him, looks of surprise at the outburst falling over various faces. Ywain and his small posse were staring in shock as Eggsy began to speak. "You're such a fucking bastard! His agency is the only reason you're even sitting at this table you holier-than-thou prick! Maybe if you could see past your massive fucking ego, you'd know that you have no room to say a word about what happened." 

Eggsy tensed his jaw and took a deep breath, "He almost fucking died from that blue rash, but you're too busy in your ivory tower to worry about the people who got sick. Do you even know what it did to him, knowing that he hadn't been able to help? To know that his mentor had abandoned everything they believe in? No. All you care about is making sure he knows he's less than you, but you know something Ywain? He's more of a Kingsman than you'll ever be."

He feels a hand cover his own and looks to his side. Roxy is looking at him with a concerned expression on her face. He takes a breath and nods at her, turning away from the table and walking out of the room. 

-*-*-*-

It was raining outside, coming down in thin sheets against Tequila’s back, but he couldn't find it in himself to care. He just wanted to get out of there. Away from the dismissive faces of the other agents. Tequila pulled a cigarette out of the case in his shirt pocket and slipped it between his lips, shielding it from the rain to light it.

After the blue rash, he'd picked up the vice. He knew it was just exchanging one bad habit for another, but it gave him an outlet, a way to quit without going cold turkey. He didn't understand why Champ had chosen him to be the contact between the two agencies when Whiskey would have done a much better job. She had taken care of Harry and gained a balance with Merlin. 

Tequila and Eggsy had grown to be fast friends after his discharge from medical, but Tequila didn't feel that alone justified his position. His thoughts eventually settled until the only thing on his mind was Eggsy. They had become closer over his time in London, sharing an apartment with someone tended to do that. After Harry's return, Eggsy had decided it was best to find his own place, and so Champ and Harry agreed that to keep him out of trouble, the best place for Tequila to stay was with Eggsy.

They had grown surprisingly domestic over the past eight months. Movie nights, walks around London to get Tequila familiar with the area, reviewing new agent files over dinner. Tequila would always argue to do the dishes since he was the guest, but each time Eggsy told him it had become just as much Tequila's apartment as it was his, that he wasn't a guest anymore. It made Tequila's heart jump every time.

He took a long drag off his cigarette, exhaling the smoke upward and closing his eyes. Tequila stayed like that, chin raised to the night sky, letting the rain hit his face when he felt a hand place itself against his bicep. He opened his eyes, looking down to see Eggsy staring at him with a somber look on his face.

"Teq, please don't listen to Ywain he doesn't know what the fuck he's talking about." Eggsy's grip on him tightened, and Tequila turned to face him. "I know that you're still working through everything and what happened can't be fixed overnight. But believe me, you're better than three of that dickhead put together. What happened with Poppy was hard, and it made you feel like a screw-up, but you need to trust yourself and if you can't do that right now trust me mate because I'd never steer you wrong."

Tequila hung his head and flicked his cigarette to the ground, putting it out with the toe of his boot. He couldn't bear to look in Eggsy in the eye. Eggsy looked at him considering his next move for a moment. After a few seconds had passed, he reached out, hooking his finger gently under Tequila's chin and lifting his head back up so he could look into his eyes. Tequila is frozen staring into Eggsy's eyes, then suddenly Eggsy is crashing into him. Their lips, wet from the rain, connecting and opening against each other. Eggsy's hand finds Tequila's jaw, holding his face. But it stops before it can even begin when Eggsy pulls away so quickly it's like he's been burned, a troubled look on his face.

"Oh fuck," Eggsy's eyes are wide and shocked like he's surprised himself, "I shouldn't have, I can't, I'm sorry, I'm not, you should just forget." The aborted sentences fall out of his mouth like water pouring from a cracked vase, and by that point, Tequila feels like he's gotten the point. A grimace crosses his face, and he adjusts the brim of his hat as he turns away. "Listen I'll just see you at home Eggsy. You should get back to the meeting anyway they'll be wondering where you went." And then he's gone, already walking down the street. Eggsy can feel the shame welling up in his chest as he watches Tequila. He wants to call out, tell him to stop, anything. But when Eggsy opens his mouth all that meets him is silence.

 

-*-*-*-

Tequila looks around the apartment. The view from the floor to ceiling windows in the living room, once impressive and breathtaking, now feels empty. He gripped a glass of whiskey tightly in his hand, he didn't smoke in the apartment. It was bad for the dogs. He felt crushed, an ugly pit of dread twisting in his stomach. Even after sharing an apartment with Eggsy for eight months there had never been any sign that he had any interest in men, and one kiss, that one remarkable kiss didn't change that. Tequila empties the glass and sets it on the coffee table. Turning his head to look at the clock he sees that it's already midnight. Tequila sighs a miserable sound out into the empty room. It's late. He should go to sleep. God knows he has to face the world again tomorrow, he might as well be prepared.

The morning came in the form of sunshine through the curtains of his bedroom window. Tequila groaned as he sat up, stretching his arms above his head. The sound of seven paws thumping down the small hallway warn him of the incoming invasion, and he smiles as he watches the two little beasts round the corner and run into his room jumping up onto the bed.

"Good morning JB, Q." Tequila smiled as they shuffled around in his lap licking at his hands excitedly. "I guess it's time for breakfast, huh?" He gets excited little yips in response as the dogs jump down to the floor and speed off to the kitchen to be fed. 

Statesman didn't have the blank test, Q was just his dog, a rescue he'd picked up as a pup. He'd taken to visiting pounds when he was feeling down, and one day after a particularly rough mission in his early days at the agency, he'd found him, a small German shepherd with only three of his legs. Tequila had stopped at the puppy's cage with wide eyes and put his fingers through the slats, scratching at his nose. The small puppy immediately lit up, pawing at his hands and rubbing his head against the door of his cage, and Tequila knew he had to take him home. Q had been a part of his life ever since.

Tequila got up and padded down the hall and into the kitchen laughing as the dogs jumped at his legs. "Alright boys calm down gimme a second." He reached into the cabinets underneath the kitchen island, pulled out the dog food and poured it into their bowls. The dogs skittered across the hardwood floor and landed in front of their dishes, excitedly gnawing on their food.

Tequila laughed as they bounced around happily and started to get breakfast ready for himself. He grabbed the cast iron and set it on the stove before walking over to the fridge and getting the eggs and bacon out. As Tequila stepped past the island, he flipped on the radio, the country station coming on at a low volume and he started to hum along. 

He's about halfway along when he hears Eggsy's door open, the other man shuffling down the hallway to the kitchen. Tequila froze, waiting to see how he would be received this morning. When Eggsy got there, he greeted Tequila with a yawn. Eggsy's sweatpants hung low on his hips, and his hair was messy. He rubbed his eyes and looked at Tequila. Eggsy covers his bare chest awkwardly with his crossed arms.

"Mornin'," Eggsy mumbles, looking down at the floor. Tequila sighs and goes back to preparing breakfast.

"Good morning Eggsy, you want anything? I have eggs and bacon on already and a pot of coffee that just finished." Tequila keeps his eyes on the pan, not really in the mood to see the look on the other man’s face just yet.

Eggsy shrugs stiffly in response. "Um, thanks for the offer Teq but I think I'll just grab some coffee and get out of your hair, yeah?" He says as he walks over to the coffee pot near the sink. 

Tequila turned off the burner he was using and placed his breakfast on a plate, leaving the extra in the pan and covering it with a pot lid. He put his breakfast on the island and moved to the space next to Eggsy.

"Mind passing the coffee pot there ace?" Tequila asked leaning his back against the counter and gesturing at Eggsy with his mug. The shorter man startled somewhat, the coffee almost sloshing out of the pot. Tequila put his hand on Eggsy's forearm, steadying it. "Careful now, that could've been bad." He said gently sliding his palm down Eggsy's wrist, taking the handle of the coffee pot from his hand.

Eggsy's mouth was dry as he swallowed, unsure of what to do, but tequila had already turned away pouring himself a cup of coffee. "I uh, I'll be in my office." He chokes out before rushing off.

When Eggsy gets to his office, he places his mug down on his desk, closes the door, and then ever so gracefully sprawls out onto the couch. Eggsy covers his face with his hands in shame. "Oh, you absolute bastard what was that?" Eggsy asks himself. "Why are you acting like this, you idiot? Tequila’s your friend, and you're treating him like some sort of stranger."

Eggsy hears scratching at the door and sits up, pushing himself up and going to open the door. When he opens it JB barrels through and goes to his bed next to the couch. Eggsy smiles as he closes the door again and then follows JB, sitting down on the floor in front of him and scratching him behind the ears.

Eggsy sighs "What happened last night?" He'd never done anything like that. He'd only really thought about something like that once before when he was in year nine. Eggsy shook his head, letting those thoughts go. He doesn't want to lose Tequila's friendship, so he'll just ignore it, pretend it never happened, and maybe, hopefully, they can get back to normal.

 

-*-*-*-

It had been three days since the kiss and Tequila just couldn't take it anymore. It was like Eggsy couldn't be in a room with him anymore, anytime it was only the two of them Eggsy'd make some excuse to leave, and it was starting to get old. Tequila had a small reconnaissance mission tomorrow. If he couldn't fix it before he left he'd contact Champ and see if they could get a new agent stationed with the Kingsman. Tequila was meant to be the connecting point between the two agencies, but he couldn't exactly be useful when the person he relied on most stopped talking to him. Tequila still had Roxy of course, but Eggsy and her had known each other longer, he wasn't going to put her through picking sides.

Later that day Eggsy was watching a rugby match when Tequila came into the living room. Tequila sat down and opened a book he'd brought out with him. When Tequila heard the T.V. turn off, he glanced up and saw Eggsy getting up from the couch, carefully stepping over the dogs and trying to leave the room. It was the last straw. Tequila stood up and grabbed his shirt sleeve before he could make his escape.

"This has to stop." Tequila said as he let go of the captured fabric. It made Eggsy look at him in shock. "What's going on with you?" Tequila sounded tired and confused. "I mean you kissed me Eggsy, and suddenly you're avoiding me like I've got the plague or something. I don't understand. We were at least friends before it happened." 

Eggsy panicked. "Teq wait no we're still friends I promise I-" but Tequila holds up a hand, stopping him. "No listen, I know you probably regret it but here's the thing Eggsy, I don't regret it, and I don’t want to take it back, and if that means this,” he motions wide to the two of them and the room around them, “ain’t gonna go back to normal then I think I should just go. But thinking about that night, your chest pressed against mine, your heart was pounding."

He puts his palm flat against Eggsy's chest, over his heart. "And your mouth felt like fire, and I've gotta say, I'd let you burn me down if you wanted to." Tequila’s eyes have glassed over slightly, and Eggsy wraps his hand around Tequila’s wrist and pulls him forward. They collide, a sudden pull of mouths and overflowing emotion. Tequila can feel tears wetting his face as he wraps an arm around the shorter man's waist licking into his mouth and devouring him.

Time stops around them, and Eggsy holds onto Tequila like a lifeline as they kiss. He pulls away breathless for a moment, looking into Tequila's eyes, bringing his hands up to the other man’s face. Cradling it gently, Eggsy brushes his thumbs across his cheeks wiping away the streaks of tears and struggles to speak. "I'm so, so sorry, I was scared and being an idiot. I was running from this and didn't see that I was hurting you. I've never let myself have this before, and I didn't want to think about what could happen if I tried." Tequila pulls him back in one of his hands staying at Eggsy's waist but the other one coming up to tenderly hold his cheek. The second kiss is passionate and makes Eggsy feel so loved it hurts. 

Eggsy leans into it trying to convey everything he's feeling, 'I'm sorry, I care, don't go,' and when it's Tequila who pulls away this time he drifts towards him not wanting to break contact. "I didn't know, I just thought," Tequila stops and turns his head away squeezing Eggsy's hip, "but I understand now, and I'm here, you don't have to run from this." Eggsy feels tears start to well up in his eyes, but Tequila is pulling him in again. 

It goes on like this for what feels like forever. Tequila just holding Eggsy in his arms as they kissed, when suddenly he pulled away just staring at him so softly, it made Eggsy feel stripped bare. He melts into Tequila, burying his face into the taller man's shoulder. "Come to bed with me, please." He felt Tequila startle and realized what that sounded like. "Just to sleep," he amended. "I don't think I could be away from you tonight." Eggsy felt Tequila’s arms tighten around him before dropping and taking his hands.

Tequila smiled down at him. "Well come on darlin' let's get you to bed." They were both exhausted. It had been an intense day, and so Tequila led Eggsy down the hall to his room. Tequila ushers him under the covers and then crawls in behind him wrapping his arms around his torso. It feels safe and warm, and Eggsy can't think of a time he's been happier.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think I'd love to hear from you!


End file.
